Zach Hensel

FtsW protein-protein interactions visualized in live Staphylococcus aureus cells by FLIM-FRET

This paper uses FLIM-FRET to visualize FtsW protein interactions in live Staphylococcus aureus, revealing self-interactions and interactions with PBP1 and DivIB, and showing how antibiotics affect these interactions.

The small GTPase Rab5 inhibits actin polymerization mediated by the Legionella pneumophila effector VipA

This study identifies Rab5 as an interacting partner of the L. pneumophila effector VipA, showing that Rab5 binding inhibits VipA's ability to promote actin polymerization.

Fbxo42 promotes the degradation of Ataxin-2 granules to trigger terminal Xbp1 signaling

This study shows Fbxo42 promotes degradation of Ataxin-2 granules, enabling Xbp1 translation and triggering cell death during terminal UPR activation.

An updated dataset of early SARS-CoV-2 diversity supports a wildlife market origin

The paper updates the SARS-CoV-2 genomic dataset to support the wildlife market origin of the virus, finding no evidence of alternative progenitors or intermediates between lineages A and B.

Secondary structure of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is predictive of nucleotide substitution frequency

The paper shows that SARS-CoV-2 secondary structure predicts nucleotide substitution frequency, with lower substitution rates at basepaired positions, particularly for C[->]U mutations in variants of concern.

Genetic tracing of market wildlife and viruses at the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic

Reanalysis of public environmental metatranscriptomes from the Huanan market links SARS-CoV-2 positivity to one wildlife stall containing raccoon dog, civet and bamboo rat genetic material.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis FtsB and PerM interact via a C-terminal helix in FtsB to modulate cell division

The paper investigates the interaction between PerM and FtsB in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, showing that PerM stabilizes FtsB through a C-terminal helix, and suggests this interaction as a therapeutic target for persistent infections.

Predicted binding interface between coronavirus nsp3 and nsp4

The paper predicts a binding interface between coronavirus nsp3 and nsp4 that is membrane-associated, conserved, and stable, suggesting a model for DMV pore formation.

Plasmids for independently tunable, low-noise expression of two genes

The paper introduces plasmids enabling low-noise, tunable expression of two genes using TetR and LacI systems, with applications in single-molecule mRNA detection.

A plasmid-based Escherichia coli gene expression system with cell-to-cell variation below the extrinsic noise limit

This paper develops a low-noise gene expression system in E. coli using negative autoregulation and bicistronic transcription, achieving tunable expression with noise below the extrinsic limit.